@omae:
I know when FUNimation struck out on its own and hired a librarian to voice Freeza I was pissed as hell but since they were doing direct-to-video sales it makes sense that they couldn't hire big talent like Ocean's people. Pokemon is obviously a GINORMOUS franchise so if you'll allow me to summarize my feelings, what's the dilly yo?
The internet has made interaction with actors/voice actors a great deal more personal in recent years, and as is the case with all human interaction, those people grow a great deal closer to the fans, and visa versa. Just knowing that voice actors exist instead of having them as nameless voices behind television humanizes them, and therefore, facilitates empathy for them.
Assuredly, the 4Kids VAs, like Ocean before them and FUNimation afterward, have become big names, too; however, they've been typecasted as 4Kids VAs because of their long tenure with Pokemon. As such, when we have someone like Veronica Taylor who entered the business at eighteen, it'll be difficult for her to find stable work after years of earning a reasonable paycheck from 4Kids. As such, with the knowledge that they are people, are not paid well (as is) and are facing the prospect of losing their jobs, the situation appears quite grim.
One could argue that "there are tons of people who lose jobs everyday", or, "the new VA's will be in the same boat the 4Kids VAs were when they started out", and "this will be another FUNimation DBZ dub". Call me selfish, but I really couldn't care less; as is the case with all people, we really do not bother with issues unless our own interests are violated or threatened in some way. In this case, it's a euthanisation of a bunch of people I've taken a liking to.